Harry S. Truman photo

Message to the Congress Transmitting Reorganization Plan 5 of 1949: Civil Service Commission.

June 20, 1949

To the Congress of the United States:

I transmit herewith Reorganization Plan No. 5 of 1949, prepared in accordance with the provisions of the Reorganization Act of 1949. This plan provides for unified direction by the Chairman of the United States Civil Service Commission of the executive affairs of the Commission. At the same time, it maintains the advantages of the bipartisan three-member Commission. The Commission will continue to advise the President on the civil service system, to issue the basic civil service regulations, and to assure protection of merit system principles by conducting investigations and determining appeals.

The need for this reorganization stems from the government-wide importance of civil service administration in the executive branch. As in private business, the effectiveness of government departments and agencies depends in very large part on the competence and morale of the officers and employees. The management of every department and almost every agency and independent establishment is intimately affected by the civil service system. It is essential that the Commission which directs that system should be effectively organized to discharge its responsibilities. This plan carries into effect one of the major recommendations of the Commission on Organization of the Executive Branch of the Government.

The Civil Service Commission was established in 1883 as a three-member body to aid the President in making the civil service rules, and to administer a comparatively simple civil service system. Each commissioner was made equally responsible under the law for performing the functions assigned to the Commission and the three members functioned as a body in the management of the agency.

Sixty-six years ago the new agency conducted a single major operating program-the recruitment and examination of candidates for admission to the civil service. Eight executive departments then constituted the entire executive branch. The total Federal employment was about 110,000. That is less than are now employed by any one of the five largest executive agencies.

Today the work of the Commission is vastly different, reflecting the great changes in the government itself and the progress that has been made in personnel management, both in government and private business. To this original job of recruitment and examination, Acts of Congress have subsequently added many other operating programs. Two of these in particular involve large-scale operations: the administration of the Civil Service Retirement System and the administration of the Classification Act. This augmented program applies today to a government about 20 times as large as that of 1883, employing men and women drawn from almost every American occupation and profession. The statutory structure of the Civil Service Commission itself, however, has not been adjusted over the years to its changing functions.

In its analysis of Federal personnel management, the Commission on Organization of the Executive Branch of the Government stressed the distinction between two types of functions now vested in the Civil Service Commission. In the interest of effective and equitable administration the nature of each of these functions must be recognized.

The development and promulgation of civil service regulations for the guidance of the departments and agencies under the civil service, and the conduct of hearings on matters appealed by individuals or departments are appropriate for a three-member bipartisan Commission. Here deliberation is important for the protection of the integrity of the civil service system.

On the other hand, the administrative direction of the day-to-day operations of the Commission's staff requires the unified leadership of one responsible individual. This is particularly so because of the operating relationships with the departments and agencies. Here decisive, prompt and vigorous action is essential.

The operational functions require a type of leadership different from that useful for the deliberative functions. But under the present statutory organization, the same multiple leadership is provided for both.

Accordingly, this reorganization plan separates day-to-day administration from the regulatory and appellate functions. It leaves vested in the full Commission final authority with respect to: (1) the formulation of civil service rules and regulations; (2) hearing and taking action on all types of appeals; (3) the administration of the political activity statutes; (4) the investigation of all matters pertaining to the civil service, and (5) the function of recommending measures to the President to promote the more effectual accomplishment of the objectives of the civil service laws and rules.

To aid the full Commission in the exercise of these powers, the plan provides that the regular, full-time personal assistants to the Commission shall be appointed by the Commission itself, and that regional directors and the heads of major administrative units shall be appointed by the Chairman only after consultation with the other Commissioners.

At the same time, to facilitate the most effective and expeditious administration of civil service matters and related affairs, the plan concentrates operating responsibility and accountability in the Chairman by vesting in him the operating functions under the civil service rules and regulations. As the chief executive and administrative officer, the Chairman is empowered to appoint, supervise and direct the Commission staff in the administration of the Commission's affairs. In the conduct of civil service operations the Chairman is subject to the regulations of the full Commission and to their investigatory powers and appellate jurisdiction. The plan leaves undisturbed the civil service laws and rules as the controlling body of policy. It preserves the bipartisan nature of the Commission.

To provide assurance of undivided responsibility, the plan transfers to the Chairman all of the functions now vested in the President of the Commission, the Executive Director and Chief Examiner, and the Secretary of the Commission.

Thus the plan provides suitable organization arrangements for both the deliberative and the operational functions.

The plan also provides for the position of Executive Director, under the classified competitive civil service. He is to be the chief operating deputy to the Chairman. The Executive Director is authorized to perform the executive and administrative functions of the Chairman in his absence, but is specifically prohibited from sitting as a member or acting member of the Commission.

I have found after investigation and hereby declare that each reorganization included in the plan is necessary to accomplish one or more of the purposes set forth in section 2(a) of the Reorganization Act of 1949. I have also found and hereby declare that by reason of the reorganizations made by this plan, it is necessary to include in the plan 'provisions for the appointment and compensation of the Executive Director.

It is important to consider the economies which will be realized by the adoption of reorganization plans. The Commission on Organization of the Executive Branch of the Government in its report on Personnel Management stated:

"This is, of course, an area in which it is difficult to develop estimates of savings. After a careful consideration, however, of the various factors involved, the Commission does believe that great savings can be achieved if the Commission's recommendations are put into effect."

The economies to be attained by this plan will result from improvements in the operation of the civil service system. It is improbable, however, that this plan, in itself, will result in substantial immediate savings. To accomplish the benefits envisioned in the report of the Commission on Organization of the Executive Branch of the Government, this first step of internal adjustment in the organization of the Civil Service Commission should be followed by revisions in basic personnel legislation.

The modification of the Civil Service Commission here proposed is designed to create a modern organization to meet today's problems--an organization which safeguards the merit principles of the civil service and at the same time makes possible the exercise of responsible, unified leadership in the administrative operations of the civil service system.

HARRY S. TRUMAN

Note: Reorganization Plan 5 of 1949 is published in the U.S. Statutes at Large (63 Stat. 1067) and in the 1949-1953 Compilation of title 3 of the Code of Federal Regulations (p. 1000). It became effective on August 20, 1949.

Harry S Truman, Message to the Congress Transmitting Reorganization Plan 5 of 1949: Civil Service Commission. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/229612

Filed Under

Categories

Attributes

Simple Search of Our Archives